THE ART OF THE COFFEE TABLE: STYLING TIPS AND WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING
Of all the furniture in your living room, the piece that most often takes centre stage is the coffee table. CB2’s artisanal, modern coffee tables seamlessly blend practicality with a high-design aesthetic, making them ideal for serving as a functional focal point. The right coffee table styling can elevate your living room, but before you reach for the fragranced candles and a vase of blooms, let's consider which table design is right for you.
Size matters
As a general rule of thumb, if your coffee table is at the centre of your seating arrangement, it should be around the height of your sofa cushions and one-third the length of your largest sofa. Any bigger, and the space could feel cramped; too much smaller, and it will look out of proportion.
You need to leave at least 30-45 cm between your coffee table and your sofa and at least 75 cm between it and your other furniture, so think about the depth of your table, not just the width.
Shaping up well
The clean lines of a rectangular coffee table are aesthetically pleasing and practical for larger seating arrangements. You can keep your living room neat as a pin with a rectangular coffee table that offers storage. Oval designs are also ideal for larger spaces, while bijou living rooms may suit a round or square coffee table.
Modern materiality
Bounce light around your living room with a glass coffee table – ideal for making smaller spaces feel more open and airier. If your living room is minimalist, coffee table materials like cement and cast metal can make a real statement. In contrast, a wooden coffee table adds an earthy appeal to biophilic and Scandi-inspired homes.
A marble coffee table can become a worthy centrepiece in a living room, and CB2 also offers other natural stones to explore, such as agate, travertine, and quartz.
With your perfect coffee table selected, it’s time to curate the perfect tablescape.
The art of the coffee table
Styling a coffee table requires a lightness of touch and discerning taste when selecting key decorative accents. Books are a classic addition to any coffee table. A single book, no matter how large, will make a tabletop look sparse, so opt for a stack instead. These add dimension and can also serve to elevate other decorative accessories.
Natural accents make a delightful centrepiece, from bountiful bouquets to an elegant single stem in a vase. Be sure to inject your own personality into the tablescape, too, with collections of personal treasures like family photos and a cluster of your favourite objets d'art. You may like to bring more order to your space by displaying decorative pieces, candles, or books in a tray, but a simple runner can also effortlessly add a sense of order to your tabletop.
A beautifully styled coffee table will entice guests over to your seating area, providing a practical spot to place their drink and offering a cohesive point in the living room that communicates your style aspirations.